Listening attentively, I can hear the crinkle of footsteps in the snow.

Terra gazes at me. “Get at least three-hundred feet from here. It’ll be challenging for him to detect you if I allow my own Mana to leak and saturate the area even more than you already do naturally,” She states. “Conceivably, that’ll mask your presence to an extent.”

‘Him? She knows who it is?’ I nod and scan from left to right. ‘...I suppose I should focus on finding somewhere to hide. Somewhere I can still observe to make certain she is not at risk.’

With a building one way, and desolate paths in the other, I hurry past the black gate toward the enclosure with the things known as “sea lions,” counting my steps as I go. The sea lions swim in their pool, observing me with apparent interest.

Circling around their enclosure, I come around the other side. Past the enclosure, I can discern a second blue pool while next to me a sea lion sticks its head from the water, woofing at me.

I tilt my head and wave at the creature. ‘Aye, thou art very graceful, but I do not have time to entertain thy curiosity nor my own for that matter.’ Spotting a high rock ahead, I rush onward. ‘I need to go another one-hundred and fifty steps at least.’

Another hundred feet, I arrive at the railing of the second blue pool. This pool is more extensive, with large gray rocks spaced throughout. In the middle is a sizable brush-covered island. In the center of the island is a high boulder covered in freshly fallen snow and plants. Yet, it is odd that the lower rocks are steamy with nary a sign of snow.

I examine the water, searching for any creatures before I commit to entering the blue pool. Although it is difficult to see, I certainly do not see anything as large as the sea lions from earlier. Then I check the island, as far as I can ascertain, there is nothing there as well.

‘I do not see any creatures... Perhaps this pool is for bathing.’ My gaze focuses on the island and the large boulder. ‘If I hide atop the large rock, I am certain I may spy them from there.’

Glancing toward my left, I notice some type of sign covered in snow. I unwind the cattail, preparing to wipe it away.

“Constance, the animals are all interesting, and I’ll try to bring you back someday, but we don’t have much time right now. Please hide,” Terra says in my head.

“Aye, but Te—”

“I know you have questions, but trying to tell you anything without time to explain will just lead to confusion and misunderstandings.” Even from here, I can hear Terra scoff. “God in Light, saying there isn’t time is so cliché, yet it is simply the truth at present.”

“...Aye. Worry not! I may not know of this ‘cliché’ thee speak of, but I am excellent at hiding.”

Keeping my head facing the water, I climb the railing and hop onto the pool. I continue searching for any sign of a creature as I advance toward the island. Without significant issue, I arrive at the island and scale the boulder, dropping into the shrubbery. ‘This should be just over three-hundred feet. Now, who are these ruffians that seem to have Terra on edge.’

From where I am, I can see the long brick path that runs from the left of my vision to the right—the left side being where Terra placed her ride. On the far side of this path on which Terra stands, a brick building sits along with the bench we sat at earlier. Above that building, I can see the high towers of New York poking out from above the trees. As for the side nearest to me, there is the short black gate that one must traverse if they wish to enter the main square where the sea lion enclosure is located.

The scene of Terra in an elegant gown with her long silver hair, standing on a snow-covered path while staring off into the distance, is melancholic. Though, to be honest, although I can see the broad scene, I can only vaguely make out her expression due to my Perception and distance.

+1 Perception

0 Stat Points Remaining

A blue wall appears. ‘Speaking of which, this was an excellent time for just such a boon, but it is also the last of my point things…’ With the blue wall’s words, Terra’s face becomes sharper. I can see she has a heavy scowl. ‘I have never seen her with such a steely expression.’

She twists in my direction, running her gaze toward where I fled. It seems as if she knows my general locations, yet not my exact location. I back up to the edge of the rock as far as I can without falling from the edge and keep observing.

I can see a hot breath leave her mouth as she moves to the bag she brought with her, removing a hefty silver book, nay, it would be more accurate to describe it as a tome.

‘It is a bit thicker than the ones the children, Lorelei and Vincent, had, yet it is very similar… I do not understand… The children she spoke of, certainly, it is not those two? Nay, there were many drawings, they cannot be the children… or at least the only ones. Wait… those children were with that man.’

I shake my head, watching as she hugs the tome tightly with clenched fists and stares in the direction of the ride.

‘Something is not right; I do not know enough about her.’

Four people approach her. Three of them walk at a casual gait while the fourth breaks for the group and runs toward her—I recognize them as Caldwell. His white hair blows backward as he approaches Terra, but just as he is about to reach her, he slides on ice. His eyes go wide as he attempts to right himself, and just as he is about to fall onto his face, Terra releases a hand from her tome. She grabs Caldwell by the wrist and jerks him to his feet.

Caldwell takes a deep breath and bows to Terra several times over. The three other people follow. Two of them wear black frocks with a cowl that obstruct their faces and carry large tomes similar to the one Terra is holding. The shorter one has a woman’s figure and carries a blue tome. While the other has a man’s figure and clutches a red tome.

As for the third and final person, I do not ever believe I could forget.

‘It is him, that man! Why!? Why is he hereabouts!?’ The man taps his cane against the ground, and despite his sewn together eyelids, he has nary a problem navigating the icy path. ‘The Bishop! Did he track me here!? Does he know my location!? Did he follow my Mana!? I shan’t move until I know more!’

He wears his usual black suit, except he wears an overgarment that covers the belt full of poppets. Just as I am considering approaching in case Terra needs me, I notice movement in my peripheral. ‘It might be those fiendish poppets; perhaps, we have fallen into a trap!’ [1]

I keep low and push myself up, preparing to unravel the cattail from around my torso. But before I may achieve this, more things appear in the corner of my vision. I can hear them sniffing the air, indicating these are not poppets but something unknown. My eyes dart toward The Bishop and Terra. She stands there, hugging her tome with squinted eyes as The Bishop announces something I cannot hear well from this distance.

‘Did he say something akin to, “found you,” so they were searching for her and not me?’ The Bishop stretches out his arm toward Terra with a devilish smile. A puff of hot air escapes from between his teeth as he speaks a few short words.

‘Nay! He is going to perform that vile attack.’

Just then, a rock bounces against the kiln with a ting.

“Ah!” something screeches.

My head swings in the direction of the screech. ‘A… a tiny person creature?’

All around me are furry people-like creatures with long arms and legs, peering at the kiln with curiosity, tossing small rocks at the kiln. When my eyes look at them, they back away and circle around the other side of me. When I turn to look at them anew, they spread out and then go to my other side. ‘Are these… apes? I have heard of such creatures! I thought they would be much taller...’ [2]

My head darts back toward Terra, yet naught seems to be occurring, so once more, I take in the sight of the apes circling me.

There are six apes, all of which are between one and three feet tall; their bellies are white while the remainder of their fur is a sandy yellow, they have scarlet faces and rumps with stubby tails. They hunch over with blue eyes seeking a better look at me and the kiln while “oohing” at one another as if having a conversation. Their nostrils open and close as they smell the air around me, only to back away and howl.

‘They must grasp that the haze is dangerous; strange how animals are better at conjecturing such things than people.’

Recognizing they do not seem to be planning to do anything rash, my gaze drifts to Terra and the grinning Bishop. Terra stands unmoving as he advances with his hand still outstretched and his cane rapping against the hard, frozen surface.

‘It… it does not seem as if he is attacking; what is he attempting?’

His hand slides under Terra’s veil and to her cheek. When he lifts the veil, I can see a hint of gray against her neck and cheek as The Bishop caresses her face. Terra’s lips are tight, and her eyes fierce.

‘What?’

Terra takes a step back, pulling her veil back over her face. Her eyes stare at The Bishop with a mix of disgust, hate, and a look I am very familiar with, pity. The Bishop does not let Terra move away. Instead, he opens his arm, takes a long step forward, and embraces her. Terra does not move; she just stands there, so it almost looks like The Bishop is embracing a statue. That is until Terra steps back a few more steps with a frown and says something.

‘Is… is Terra in some type of romantic relationship with that man!? Perhaps a forced marriage!? If she truly is a noble… I mean, Terra is at marriageable age; yet, to be at the mercy of such a terrible man. Nay that would be simply appalling! Moreover, her reaction when I questioned if she was a mamma suggests she is not even thinking of such things.’

Terra seizes her bag and commences wandering back toward her ride. She pauses; her voice echoes in my head, “Constance, I recommend you run. If you can’t, then don’t move. Be prepared to run and fight only as a last resort. Keep the last question I asked you in mind. Next, we meet, we’ll have much to discuss. Be safe; I’ll keep an ear out.”

She resumes leaving without looking back.

‘Wait; I do not understand! What is occurring; art thee in danger!? Mayhaps I could assist!’ Alas, she does not seem to receive my thoughts. ‘Her last question? The one about if there was a guaranteed way we could trust each other, would I do it?’

The Bishop accompanies her while Caldwell chases them. The other two people remain behind. I attempt to stand; when I do so, the apes panic. I lower myself.

‘She recommended I run, yet if I try, these apes will give me away! I am in the middle of an island surrounded by cold water and these apes; surely, they will not discover me here...’

The two stand motionlessly until The Bishop and Terra are gone. I can hear the sounds of the ride Terra arrived in leaving. When the sound disappears, they pull down their hoods. A white man and a white woman, each with a few squares of red cloth stitched to random areas of their face and neck. They speak to one another for around fifteen minutes, looking from left to right as if waiting for someone. In the meantime, the apes have decided to crowd together and hug each other for warmth while gazing at the flame of the kiln. They tilt their heads this way and that as if mesmerized by the kiln while I ignore them and scan the area, searching for escape routes I could take to ensure I am not discovered.

Another ride pulls in. This one drives past the gates slowly and stops around a dozen feet from the two people that arrived with The Bishop. The ride itself is bigger than the one Terra drove and has a big box like back. On its side, I recognize a depiction of the orphany bird—The Consortium’s emblem. Four men exit the ride and approach the two people I assume are from the Hex Church. Two of the men with the Consortium I recognize as Lincoln and Pierce, while the other two are younger men. One of the young men is a black man with short hair, and the other resembles a native man with a shoulder-length cut.

‘Such a variety of races in this group.’

The two of them stare at the two Hex Church people curiously.

As before, Lincoln is smoking a cigarette as he peers at the man and woman and then says something, pointing to various places. They converse for some time, and then Lincoln motions for them to follow, opening the short black gate that leads into the square with the sea lions. Lincoln stops, pointing at my location.

‘I have been spotted!’ Pierces laughs as Lincoln says something to him. ‘Wait… nay. They are laughing with one another as they were on the previous occasion...’

They continue to speak to one another; it is difficult to hear until they come around the sea lion enclosure stopping at the side nearest to me.

Lincoln tosses his cigarette to the ground and snuffs it with his foot. “So tell me, Emily and Colin, why did we hire you to track and capture this kiln thing only for you to drag us out here anyway.”

‘Those two that came with the Bishop! They are searching for me!?’ My gaze shoots toward the man and woman. ‘They cannot be stronger than The Bishop… Nay, they seem more ordinary than that man. I must not hesitate when it comes to those two.’

“We were told to contact you if we need access,” the woman from the Hex Church, Emily, states.

Pierce groans. “Yeah, but you were only supposed to bother the newbies for that. You know how hard it was getting them to send us help.” He points at the two men that arrived with him. “These two only just started, so they can’t do much more than this kind of stuff.”

The man from the Hex Church, Colin, points at the two young people with them. “And they are?”

“Like Pierce just said, they’re the newbies. Try listening,” Lincoln scolds, strolling over toward the sea lions. “By the way, isn’t that guy with the sealed eyes supposed to be with you?”

“...You, uh, you mean The Bishop?” Colin questions.

Lincoln nods. “Yeah, your local administrator or whatever. What’s his name anyway?”

Colin and Emily glance at one another and then back at Lincoln with a shrug. “He’s just The Bishop,” Emily replies.

“...More like just a weirdo,” Pierce states, rolling his eyes. “All you cults behaving like you’re playing fuckin’ Dungeon and Dragons. It’s always “The” this and “The” that, damn, just give it an actual name, so people know who or what the hell you’re talking about.”

Colin’s brows furrow. “Hey! You goddamn suits! All of you Consortium types owe your soul to the fuckin’ company store, and you’re talking down to us!?” [3]

Pierces brows narrow as he seems to try to understand what he is saying until he rolls his eyes. “Relax,” he says, frowning and motioning for Lincoln to follow. “Don’t be so serious. It was a joke.”

Lincoln chuckles. “We’ll just leave the newbies with you. We’ve got business elsewhere.” He walks away, waving. “Call us if you actually find anything here.”

The two Consortium people look at Colin and Emily.

“I’m Mark,” the native man says.

“I’m Preston,” the black man says with a wave of his hand.

Emily shrugs. “Don’t care.”

As Pierce drives away, the ride makes a beeping sound as he shouts, “You kids get along now, ya hear!” He points at Colin. “And watch that kid; he might make another old-ass reference that some grandparents are too young to get.” He laughs.

“Prick,” Colin scoffs.

Mark rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry about them. They haven’t gotten much sleep and aren’t in the best mood. We’re stretched thin right now...”

“It’s fine. He obviously understood the reference, and it bothered him enough to leave.” Colin grimaces at Mark and Preston. “You two will be living corpses in suits just like them soon enough. Happens to all of them.”

Mark and Preston smile at each other awkwardly; their eyes turn toward the ground, and then they look back up with a sigh.

“Where is it you need to go?” Preston mutters, holding up a ring of keys.

“We don’t actually know where we might need to go,” Emily says, waving her hand dismissively. “We came here for a different reason; after we arrived, The Bishop told us there was a lot of mana buildup here. Much more than the person we came for could have put off.”

Mark tilts his head, scanning the area. “What was the other reason? Is it why he isn’t here?”

Colin glares at him. “It’s The Bishop’s personal affairs, and we aren’t going to impose on his business.”

“Lady troubles, maybe?” Mark asks, flexing his eyebrows.

“Sure.” Colin crosses his arms with a huff. “Anyway! We need time because we don’t actually have much experience.”

“...Then why’d we hire you if you don’t have experience?” Mark inquires with a furrowed brow.

Emily clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes. “Because literally, no one has experience. Only a few geniuses can actually track mana with any real accuracy.” Emily and Colin each open their tomes, removing a quill from a pocket on their frock. “Just give us some time and open what we need you to; we’ll track down the monster’s general location.”

Preston looks back and forth with squinted eyes. “Wo-wo-woah. Much more importantly, what do you mean mana buildup and ‘we’ll track down the monster?’ Is that suspected M-Class terror legitimately here right now?” Prestons asks, mouth agape, motioning between himself and Mark. “Cause we aren’t really qualified for anything like we saw in those messed up found footage-esque videos they showed us in orientation.” He holds up the keys jingling them for everyone to see. “I’m just the key guy right now, and I’m gonna stay the key guy.”

“Oh… yeah, and I’m the assistant to the key guy,” Mark says with a nervous chuckle.

‘M-class terror? Is that what they call me… rather offensive. Still, nary a need to worry Preston, thou shan’t know I was ever here!’ I try to stand once more, but the apes howl once again—the group of four glances in my direction. I lower myself, and the apes stop their howling. ‘...I am stuck here...’